# parallelize

/ˈpæɹəlɛlaɪz/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/parallelize
Updated: 2026-10-12

## Definition

to change a task so that a computer can do many parts of it at the same time instead of one by one.

For teachers: to adapt a computational task or algorithm so that its components can be executed simultaneously across multiple processors.

## Examples

- We need to parallelize the code to make it run faster.
- The development team spent weeks trying to parallelize the rendering engine to take full advantage of modern multi-core hardware.
- While it is theoretically possible to parallelize the simulation, the high degree of data dependency between steps often results in significant synchronization overhead.

## Antonyms

serialize, sequentialize

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and typically takes a computational task, process, or algorithm as its direct object.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.